The opposition in Quebec City is hammering the Couillard government over allegations surrounding yet another one of its transport ministers.
A report in the Journal de Montreal is suggesting Laurent Lessard, who took over the transport portfolio only last month, gave millions in grant money to the group where his wife works.
The paper claims Lessard gave out a total of $12.7 million between 2009 and 2012 for five social housing projects in his home riding of Thetford Mines while he served as Jean Charest's municipal affairs minister. Two of those projects were approved in July of 2012, just weeks before the Charest government was voted out of power.
Lessard's wife, Johanne Binette, works for a group called Groupe ressources techniques Beauce-Appalaches (GRTBA), which received the government money through a program called Accès Logis. Following the Liberals' 2012 defeat, the paper claims the group's funding dried up — only three projects were announced in the four years since then.
Lessard is the third transport minister the Couillard government has had in just the last two and a half years. His predecessor, Jacques Daoust, resigned under a cloud last month after the opposition scrutinized him over his possible involvement in the sale of the Rona hardware chain to Lowe's.